ELMA, N.Y. -- And in a flash, it was gone-at least for now. The women of the Western New York Flash won't have a chance to defend their championship title this summer.
According to Sports Illustrated's Grant Wahl, players were notified via email earlier today that Women's Professional Soccer has decided to suspend operations, cancelling the 2012 season.
The Sahlen family, which owns the Flash, said in a statement today that they intend to field a professional team and play this year:
"Our organization will contact US based leagues to apply for admission for competition in 2012. In cooperation with the appropriate league we would like to organize and be part of an elite/pro division to compete in. Our organization will operate much the same as it did in 2011, as a full professional entity albeit with a significantly shorter season. We are hopeful that the Flash continuing to play in 2012 will serve as a link between the 2011 and proposed 2013 season."
The statement also said that the Flash office is processing refunds to any of those who may have purchased season tickets or made a down payment or donation of any kind for this year's upcoming season.
Shortly after the announcement, some Flash players took to social media sites like Twitter to express their disappointment in the news. Defender Ali Riley tweeted, "Heartbreak." and forward Alex Morgan wrote, "Sad day. #wps."
Flash head coach, Aaran Lines, is also upset about the decision.
"We're obviously disappointed we weren't able to play," said Lines. "We're six weeks out from preseason starting. I had to make a lot of phone calls today that weren't easy to do. It wasn't a pleasant thing to do. I'm obviously disappointed for my players not being able to play a 2012 season after such a fantastic inaugural year last year with a WPS championship; so yeah, not an easy day, not an easy thing to be involved in."
The decision comes only six months after Pittsford's Abby Wambach and the United States women turned in a stirring runner-up finish in the World Cup in Germany and a few months before they'll defend their Olympic title at this summer's games in London.
The Buffalo-based Flash won the regular-season title last year with a star-studded roster with players such as Brazil's Marta, Canadian forward Christine Sinclair, Swedish national team captain Caroline Seger, popular forward Alex Morgan, all-league defender Ali Riley and goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris, just to name a few.
"We've got a history of putting good teams together and attracting top-quality players here to this club. Obviously, we've got to close this door and another door will open. We'll attract good players here to Western New York so the fans here will have plenty to watch hopefully this summer when we figure out where we're playing," said Lines.
Despite the stellar athletic performance, WPS has faced some problems over the past few years mostly regarding dwindling sponsorship sales and a shrinking lineup. Since its original lineup of eight in 2009, WPS now operates as a professional league with only five teams after receiving a waiver from the U.S. Soccer Federation last year.
One of the original eight teams was magicJack, which was home to the Our Lady of Mercy High graduate and arguably the league's biggest star, Wambach, as well as fellow U.S. national team star, Hope Solo. The league ultimately decided to terminate magicJack late last year.
In December, the USSF granted WPS another waiver to play with so few teams again in 2012, but included a provision that WPS must have six teams by 2013 and eight, the traditional minimum to operate as a league, by 2014.